Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico

Hodge, Frederick Webb, Compiler. The Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico. Bureau of American Ethnology, Government Printing Office. 1906.

Nacisi Tribe

Nacisi Indians. A small tribe, possibly of Caddoan stock, formerly dwelling in the region of Red River, Louisiana. They were first mentioned by Joutel in 1687, at which time they were at enmity with the Cenis (Caddo confederacy). When Bienville and St Denis were exploring Red River of Louisiana, in 1700, they found on that stream a village of the Nacisi consisting of 8 houses. They were still in this neighborhood in 1741, but during the vicissitudes of the 18th century seem to have drifted southward beyond the border of the French province, from 1790 they are mentioned among the … Read more

Nabedache Tribe

One of the 12 or more tribe, of the Hasinai, or southern Caddo confederacy. They spoke the common language of the group. Their main village stood for a century or more 3 or 4 leagues west of Neches river and near Arroyo San Pedro

Muskogean Indians

Muskhogean Family, Muskhogean Stock, Muskhogean People, Muskhogean Indians. An important linguistic stock, comprising the Creeks, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole, and other tribes. The name is an adjectival form of Muskogee, properly Măskóki (pl. Maskokalgi or Muscogulgee). Its derivation has been attributed to an Algonquian term signifying `swamp’ or `open marshy land’, but this is almost certainly incorrect. The Muskhogean tribes were confined chiefly to the Gulf states east of almost all of Mississippi and Alabama, and parts of Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina. According to a tradition held in common by most of their tribes, they had reached their historic seats from some starting point west of the Mississippi, usually placed, when localized at all, somewhere on the upper Red River. The greater part of the tribes of the stock are now on reservations in Oklahoma.

Muscogee Indian Chiefs and Leaders

Big Warrior, a man of much prudence and shrewdness, was a native of Alabama, and a pure-blood Indian. He was peaceably disposed towards the whites, and sided with them in the war of 1813. He died in Washington in 1825, while in attendance there with a delegation of his tribe.   Leclerc Milfort was a Frenchman who lived from 1776 to 1796 among the Muscogees. He married a sister of McGillivray, and often led the warriors of the nation against the Georgians. Returning to France, he was made a general of brigade by Napoleon, and wrote an account of his … Read more

Munsee Tribe

Munsee Indians, Munsee People, Munsee First Nation (Min-asin-ink, ‘at the place where stones are gathered together. Hewitt). One of the three principal divisions of the Delaware, the others being the Unami and Unalachtigo, from whom their dialect differed so much that they have frequently been regarded as a distinct tribe. According to Morgan they have the same three gentes as the Delaware proper, viz, Wolf (Tookseat ), Turtle (Pokekooungo), and Turkey (Pullaook). Brinton says these were totemic designations for the three geographic divisions of the Delaware and had no reference to gentes. However this may be, the Wolf has commonly … Read more

Multnomah Tribe

Multnomah Indians (Ne-‘malno-max, ‘down river’) A Chinookan tribe or division formerly living on the upper end of Sauvies Island, Multnomah County, Oregon. In 1806 they were estimated at 800, but by 1835, according to Parker they were extinct as a tribe.  The term is also used in a broader sense to include all the tribes living on or near lower Willametter River, Oregon. See: Lewis and Clark, Expeditions, ii, 472, 1814.

Mugulasha Tribe

Mugulasha Indians. A tribe related to the Choctaw, who lived on the west bank of the Mississippi, in a village with the Bayogoula, whose language they spoke

Mosopelea Tribe

Mosopelea Indians. A problematic tribe, first noted on Marquette’s map where “Monsoupelea” or “Monsoupera,” is marked as an Indian village on the east bank of the Mississippi some distance below the mouth of the Ohio.  In 1682 LaSalle found a Mosopela chief with 5 cabins of his people living with the Taensa, but whom they had been adopted after the destruction of their former village by some unknown enemy. Alternate Spellings: Mansoleas – Barcia, Ensayo, 261, 1723. Mansopela – Douay in Shea, Discovery, 222, 224 (note), 268, 1852. Mansopelea – Hennepin, Cont. of New Discov., 48a, 1698. Mausalea – McKenney … Read more

Moravian Tribe

Moravian Indians. Mahican, Munsee, and Delaware who followed the teachings of the Moravian brethren and were by them gathered into villages apart from their tribes. The majority were Munsee. In 1740 the Moravian missionaries began their work at the Mahican village of Shekomeko in New York. Meeting with many obstacles there, they removed with their converts in 1746 to Pennsylvania, where they built the new mission village of Friedenshuetten on the Susquehanna. Here they were more successful and were largely recruited from the Munsee and Delaware, almost all of the former tribe not absorbed by the Delaware finally joining them. … Read more

Moratoc Tribe

Moratoc Indians. A tribe described in 1686 as living 160 miles up Roanoke river, perhaps near the south Virginia line.  a map of that period places their village on the north side of the river, which then bore their name. They are said to have been an important tribe which refused to hold intercourse with the English.

Montauk Tribe

David Pharaoh, "Last King of the Montauk"

Montauk Indians (meaning uncertain). A term that has been used in different senses, sometimes limited to the particular hand or tribe known by this name, but in a broader sense including most of the tribes of Long Island, excepting those about the west end. It is occasionally used incorrectly as equivalent to Metoac. The Indians of Long Island were closely related to the Indians of Massachusetts and Connecticut. Tooker says that the dialect of the Montauk was more nearly related to the Natick of Massachusetts than was the Narraganset. The Montauk, in the limited sense, formerly occupied Easthampton township, Suffolk … Read more

Montagnais Tribe

Montagnais Indians, Montagnais People, Montagnais First Nation (French ‘mountaineers’, from the mountainous character of their country). A group of closely related Algonquian tribes in Canada, extending from about St Maurice river almost to the Atlantic, and from the St Lawrence to the watershed of Hudson bay. The tribes of the group speak several well-marked dialects. They are the Astouregamigoukh, Attikiriniouetch, Bersiamite, Chisedec, Escoumains, Espamichkon, Kakouchaki, Mauthaepi, Miskouaha, Mouchaouaouastiirinioek, Nascapee, Nekoubaniste, Otaguottouemin, Oukesestigouek, Oumamiwek, Papinachois, Tadousac, and Weperigweia. Their linguistic relation appears to be closer with the Cree of Athabasca lake, or Ayabaskawininiwug, than with any other branch of the Algonquian family. Champlain … Read more

Monacan Tribe

Monacan Indians (possibly from an Algonquian word signifying a digging stick or spade). A tribe and confederacy of Virginia in the 17th century. The confederacy occupied the upper waters of James river above the falls at Richmond. Their chief village was Rasawek. They were allies of the Manahoac and enemies of the Powhatan, and spoke a language different from that of either. They were finally incorporated with other remnants under the names of Saponi and Tutelo. The confederacy was composed of the Monacan proper, Massinacac, Mohemencho, Monahassano, Monasiccapano, and some other tribes. The Monacan proper had a chief settlement, known … Read more

Molala Tribe

Molala Indians. A Waiilatpuan tribe forming the western division of that family. Little is known of their history. When first met with they resided in the Cascade range between Mts. Hood and Scott and on the west slope, in Washington and Oregon. The Cayuse have a tradition that the Molala formerly dwelt with them south of Columbia river and became separated and driven westward in their wars with hostile tribes. Their dialect, while related, is quite distinct from that of the Cayuse, and the separation probably took place in remote times. The name Molala is derived from that of a … Read more

Molala Indian Bands, Gens and Clans

Many tribes have sub-tribes, bands, gens, clans and phratry.  Often very little information is known or they no longer exist.  We have included them here to provide more information about the tribes. Chakankni. A Molala band formerly settled in the Cascade range, N. w. of upper Klamath lake, on the headwaters of Rogue r., Greg. In 1881 they were rapidly becoming absorbed by the neighboring tribes and had practically given up their own language for that of the Klamath. (L. F.)

Moingwena Tribe

Moingwena Indians. The name (the etymology of which is doubtful) of a small tribe of the Illinois confederacy, closely affiliated with the Peoria.  The name was applied also to the villages in which they resided.  The first recorded notice of the tribe is by Marquette in the account of his descent of the Mississippi with Joliet in 1673, when he found them residing in the vicinity of the Peoria village on the west side of the Mississippi near the mouth of the Des Moines.  Franquelin’s map of 1688 gives the name of the river as “Mingana,” and marks the Indian … Read more

Mohegan Tribe

Mohegan Indians (from maïngan, ‘wolf.’ Trumbull). An Algonquian tribe whose chief seat appears originally to have been on Thames river, Conn., in the north part of New London county. They claimed as their proper country all the territory watered by the Thames and its branches north to within 8 or 10 miles of the Massachusetts line, and by conquest a considerable area extending north and east into Massachusetts and Rhode Island, occupied by the Wabaquasset and Nipmuc. On the west their dominion extended along the coast to East river, near Guilford, Conn. After the destruction of the Pequot in 1637 … Read more

Mohegan Indian Chiefs and Leaders

Occom, Samson Occom, Samson, A Christian convert, called “the pious Mohegan,” born in 1723. Converted to Christianity under the influence of Rev. E. Wheelock in 1741, he received in the family of that minister a good education, learning to speak and to write English and obtain in some knowledge of Latin and Greek; and even of Hebrew. Owing to ill health he did not complete the collegiate instruction intended for him. He was successively a school teacher in New London, Conn. (1748); preacher to the Indians of Long Island for some ten years; agent in England (1766-67) for Mr. Wheelock’s … Read more